Generally described, mobile computing devices and communication networks facilitate the collection and exchange of information. Utilizing a wireless communication network and corresponding air interface communication protocols, a mobile communication device can establish audio and data communication channels to exchange information with other users or computing devices. Examples of various audio and data communication channels utilized by mobile communication devices include audio channels, messaging channels (e.g., SMS or MMS), data channels (e.g., Voice over IP (VOIP), HTTP, 802.11 (WiFi), Instant Messaging (IM), etc.), and the like.
To facilitate repeated communications or interaction, mobile communication devices can be associated with software and hardware components that allow the mobile communication device to maintain contact information, such as telephone numbers, email addresses, messaging addresses, etc., utilized to establish communications via available communication channels. Typically, such contact information is maintained as contact information in which all known contact information for an identified entity, such as user, can be presented to a mobile computing device user. For example, a mobile computing device may present a user interface in which the contact information associated with a selected individual is presented in a list-based format. In another example, a mobile communication device with audio channel capabilities may maintain a “last call list” that keeps track of telephone numbers of the most recent incoming or outgoing calls from the mobile device.
Although contact management user interfaces and software can facilitate the input and management of contact information for a larger set of contacts, typical contact management approaches can become deficient as the set of entities associated with a user grows. In one example, typical call list approaches are limited in the number of contacts identified in the user interfaces (e.g., the last 4 numbers called). Accordingly, such approaches can become deficient as the number of incoming or outgoing calls increases because potentially desired contacts are removed from the display based on order of the most recent incoming or outgoing call. In another example, typical contact management approaches relate to the presentation of the entire set of contacts that are associated with a user, such as in alphabetical order. As the number of contacts maintained in the mobile communication device, or on behalf of the mobile communication device, users may have increased difficulty in identifying the contact information of specific entities. Additionally, for each contact, the typical contact management approach identifies all known contact information (e.g., phone numbers, IM aliases, email addresses, etc.) without regard to a desired, or preferred, communication method.
In addition to the management of contact information accessible by a mobile communication device, current approaches to manage applications, or other executable components, on mobile communication device can be inefficient in relation to the incorporation of contacts. One approach to managing applications or other executable components relates to user interface in which the set of available application or executable components are presented in a desktop metaphor. In a typical desktop metaphor, each available application or executable component is represented on the user interface by a selectable display object that causes the initiation, or execution of the display object. For example, a user can initiate an email application by selecting a representative display object from the user interface. In another example, a user can interact with social networking services by selecting an executable component that generates an interface for posting information or displaying information. In such a desktop metaphor, the initiation and selection of applications or executable components are independent on the grouping of users. For example, assume a user that is a member of sports team wishes to access a game schedule, post pictures from a previous game to the other team members, and communicate a private message to the other team members. Under the typical desktop metaphor approach, such an individual would be required to independently access each corresponding application (e.g., a calendaring application, a sharing application and a messaging application) by selecting each application from the presentation of all available applications. Additionally, the user would further be required to utilize the interfaces presented by each selected application to control the receipt of information transmitted (e.g., an email distribution list and a sharing application distribution list). Accordingly, such approaches do not efficiently facilitate group-based interaction.